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32-pounder Railway Cannon
32-Pounder Railway Guns Was the first Railway Cannon used in Warfare developed in 1862, during the Years of the American Civil War. Development 'Design' The first railway gun used in the American Civil War , was a banded 32-pounder Brooke naval rifle mounted on a flat car and shielded by a sloping casemate of railroad iron. On 29 June 1862, Robert E. Lee had the gun pushed by a locomotive over the Richmond and York River line (later part of the Southern Railway) and used at the Battle of Savage's Station to interfere with General George McClellan's plans for siege operations against Richmond during the Union advance up the peninsula. Main Era 'American Civil War' The story of the Confederate railway gun traces back to the desperate days of early June 1862. On June 5, General Lee inquired if Colonel Josiah Gorgas, Confederate Chief of Ordnance, had the means to mount a heavy cannon on an armored railway car. The mobility afforded on such mounting would counter the numerical superiority of the Federal siege guns (I hesitate to use the proper term “siege train”, which might confuse some readers). If the Army could not support this request, Lee asked if the Navy might.1 And it was the Navy which accepted this task. With Captain George Minor and Lieutenant John M. Brooke involved, the Navy expedited the work. On June 21, Lee informed Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory, “…the railway battery will be ready for service to-morrow.” Lee felt it appropriate the Navy man the gun.2 Five days later. The first railway gun used in combat was a banded 32-pounder Brooke naval rifle mounted on a flat car and shielded by a sloping casemate of railroad iron. On 29 June 1862, Robert E. Lee had the gun pushed by a locomotive over the Richmond and York River line (later part of the Southern Railway) and used at the Battle of Savage's Station to interfere with General George McClellan's plans for siege operations against Richmond during the Union advance up the peninsula.5 Photographic evidence exists of at least one Union 13-inch siege mortar mounted on a rail car during the Siege of Petersburg. It was nicknamed the Dictator or the Petersburg Express.6 Another photo exists of a gun mounted on an armored rail car with the caption of "Railway battery used in siege of Petersburg" although no textual evidence survives in support of the caption, which makes the claim that it is a photo of the Confederate gun from 1862 dubious. 'Alternate Era' in the American Civil War banded 32-pounder Brooke naval rifle mounted on a flat car and shielded by a sloping casemate of railroad iron. On 29 June 1862, Robert E. Lee had the gun pushed by a locomotive over the Richmond and York River line (later part of the Southern Railway) and used at the Battle of Savage's Station to interfere with General George McClellan's plans for siege operations against Richmond during the Union advance up the peninsula. After rebooting all Union Invaders from the Confederate States of America in 1863 after a victorious engagment against the Army of the Potamac in Gettysurg. Large productions of Rail Guns were produced, for longer range artillery fire, that can be used against infantry, and calavry from several miles away. After the Confederate Victory at Antietam Creek, Rail Guns were postioned around Washington D.C, where they along with field artillery shelled the Union Capital, into a smoking ruin. After the guns ceased, The Capital fell under Confederate Infantry in just 10 hours. Rail Guns became the major punching power of the Confederate Military during the Northern Campaign. Many 32-pounders were used during the fall of Trenton, and the Siege of Cacusan. By 1865 the Confederacy began too produced larger guns for the Locomotives too move and position in order too blaze away at Union fortresses. On August 18th, a newly created 36-pounder was created and tested on dummies made of hey at Chattanooga. The cannon's power obliterated about 133 soldiers, about 2 times more than the 32-pounders . Trivia